is there no more night trains from Paris to St. Jean? + tent

[hahni1274]

when I read journeys from last year, people usually got a overnight train to st. jean.
However, I could not find any.. latest train I could find was departing at 7 or 6 PM and arriving past midnight. Help please!

Also I am thinking bringing my tent in case they run out of beds. I will be there thorough out May.
Would that be necessary? Tent will add about 1~1.5kg as well. (I am hoping to save money here and there as well)

 

[grayland]

I would strongly advise you to leave the tent at home. You will not use it and 1.5 kg of useless kit is not to be tolerated. :shock:
There are very few camping spots along the way. You WILL find a bed each night. Sometimes it seems from the posts here that it is common to be turned away at the albergues. This is simply not the case. Don't worry much about getting a bed...the Camino will provide.

 

[hieronimus]

My friendly travel office in Paris advised me that railway tracks being currently upgraded on Bordeaux - Irun lane, and many trains are cancelled or redirected. Only international trains ( treaty with Spain) are permitted to go without problems. We also wanted to travel on night train, but we listen to his advise and taking midmorning train. Probably wouldbe good idea to call info line in Paris to find out what is on and what is not.

buen camino

hiereonimus

 

[Tincatinker]

I have a booking for the overnight sleeper Paris Austerlitz to Bayonne 30 March, to connect with the morning train to StJdP. Rail Europe say there is no problem (that they are aware of) and they are still selling tickets for that trip.

Bon chance et Buen Camino

 

[mspath]

The French SNCF web site /www.voyages-sncf.com lists the night train 4053 from Paris -Austerlitz on October 30 leaving at 22:12 and arriving Bayonne on 31 October at 8:41.

Bon Voyage and Buen Camino!

Margaret

 

[Deleted member 3000]

If you go the other way:

Lyrics to Night Train To Paris:

all that is open is the window
i hold out my hand to the rain
the tracks are glistening in shadow
the ties, the steel, and the train
stand in the cold at the station
though it really isn't you at all
the snare of infatuation
the desperate ledge of a fall

chorus:
take the night train to paris
hoping to escape all the rules
take the night train to paris
you hopelessly romantic fool

oftentimes love is a pageant
of kings and queens and of pawns
more often love it seems stagnant
the subject of tedious yawns
the theatre, the alleys of vision
the characters waiting to strike .
the collectors of garbage and wisdom
who catalogue all that is not right

i waited for the cafes to open
i watched pigeons peck in the rain
that endless rain of confusion
the cat in my lap did the same
i hated to disturb her slumber
sleeping so peacefully through the night
the unfinished letter lay crumpled
an unfinished heart has its price